Olly Hiscocks

Background

“Mum and Dad, I don’t want to be a doctor, I want to sell olives for a living”. That is the awkward conversation I had with my parents last year. After completing a degree in Neuroscience and earning a place to study post-Graduate Medicine, I couldn’t shake off the desire to start my own business and Olive the Dream. Since launching Olly’s Olives on the London market stalls in 2016, we have grown the company from the kitchen table to a snack product sold nationwide.

What Skills can you bring as a Mentor

As a food entrepreneur that has gone through the aches and pains of launching a brand in the modern retail industry, I can offer first-hand experience of the dos and don’ts as well as help across the board in sales, marketing, accounting, logistics, manufacturing and just generally keeping yourself sane during the early stages – I came in with absolutely no experience at all and jumping in at the deep end has been an incredible learning curve.

Good vs. Great Business

A great business is one that can execute the production of a strong brand, a focussed sales strategy, tight margin and stock management, look after all customer relations and most importantly, a team that is whole-heartedly behind the brand and works together all with the same end goal and ethos in mind.

Most Valuable Business Lesson(s)

It isn’t the glamorous or sexy side but always stay on top of the numbers and don’t try and do it all yourself, you would be amazed at the lengths people will go for you if you just ask, nicely of course.